FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (February 16, 2023) - The Northern Arizona Women's Basketball team improved to a 16-12 record overall, while moving to 10-5 in Big Sky play with a 61-55 win to the Eastern Washington Eagles.
Despite shooting 29.4 percent from the field, the Jacks were able to capitalize off of EWU's 15 turnovers and 29.2 three-point percentage. NAU found the edge with 54 rebounds to the Eagles 39.
The Jacks put up their best game in the first quarter, starting off with a ten-point run led by Regan Schenck goin 2-2 from the line and paving her way to a three-pointer. The Eagles countered with a 6-0, but were unable to stop NAU's offense as the Jacks went on to finish the first quarter 7-19 from the field, ending with a ten-point lead as the Schenck ended the quarter with a quick jumper.
NAU started the second half off with some heat behind the shots, going up with a 13-point lead, which would be the Jacks largest lead of the game. The Eagles began the battle back to a close game with an 8-0 run midway through the second quarter. EWU's Aaliyah Alexander started the Eagles run with a layup through the paint, going on to extend the Eagle's run with a quick mid-range jumper.
Fatoumata Jaiteh continued her double-double campaign with a short jumper in the paint, getting NAU back into the game before the half. The Lumberjacks led by one at the end of the second quarter as the Eagles played their best 10 minutes going 3-5 from the three-point range.
Olivia Moran got into the offensive mix for the Jacks as the sophomore led the Jacks to a four-point lead at the end of the quarter going 2-2 from the line and adding a smooth layup up the right arch before coming into the key and knocking down another two points for NAU.
The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth game as both sides struggled with turnovers. The Eagles took their first lead of the night seven minutes into the fourth quarter, going up by one with a Alexander 3-pointer off the Jaleesa Lawrence assist. NAU held the Eagles to 55 with three minutes left, going on a 7-0 run to secure the Jacks victory.
Jaiteh finished with a double-double for the Jacks, marking her second of the season after her first came on the road at Eastern Washington. The sophomore put up 11 points and 12 boards, adding three blocks to an impressive stat line. Schenck entered another double-digit game with 20 points, four assists, and eight rebounds.
The Jacks will now host the Idaho Vandals at Findlay Toyota court in Flagstaff on Saturday for a 1 p.m. MST tipoff. The last time NAU and Idaho met, the Lumberjacks pulled out a 23-point victory on the road. Idaho is coming off a three-point victory at Northern Colorado in a final moment thriller ending with a layup from Tiana Johnson.
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